It’s difficult to deal with the after-effects of a car accident in Washington. Under the state’s fault-based insurance law, an injury victim must prove an at-fault driver’s negligence and liability to recover compensation for their damages. That driver’s insurance company then investigates the accident—typically to determine how to undervalue the victim’s claim. If they find an injury victim shared fault in the accident, they can reduce the amount of their compensation by their percentage of fault.
The result of the investigation together with other variables determines the amount of compensation you can recover in your car accident claim in Washington and an Edmonds car accident lawyer can help assist you with this.
Common Damages Recovered in Washington Car Accident Claims
The economic and physical consequences of a car accident are the “damages” in a car accident claim. When a car accident in Washington is more than a simple fender-bender but involves injuries, damages can quickly add up. Common damages recovered in car accident compensation claims include the following:
- Property damage to a vehicle
- Reimbursement for emergency medical care and treatment
- Future medical costs when ongoing care is required
- Lost wages
- Future income loss
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Other non-economic damages that might apply in individual cases, including traumatic limb loss, loss of one of the senses, disfigurement, PTSD, or loss of quality of life
An accident victim must provide compelling evidence not only of the at-fault party’s liability but also of the economic and non-economic damages they’ve suffered.
The average payout for car accident claims in Washington falls between $15,000 to $25,000, but injury victims with extensive damages from life-altering injuries may recover hundreds of thousands or more in compensation through a settlement.
What If I Was Partly at Fault for the Car Accident?
Washington’s pure comparative negligence insurance law allows car accident victims to recover compensation for their damages even if they contributed to the cause of the accident. Under this system, the insurance company of the at-fault party investigates the accident and may find cause to assign an injury victim a portion of the fault for the accident, since this benefits them by lowering the amount they have to pay on a claim by that percentage of fault. Under Chapter 4.22.005, the law states the following:
“In an action based on fault seeking to recover damages for injury or death to person or harm to property, any contributory fault chargeable to the claimant diminishes proportionately the amount awarded as compensatory damages for an injury attributable to the claimant’s contributory fault, but does not bar recovery.”
If an insurance company finds you 25% at fault for an accident, they can reduce a claim for $100,000 in damages to a payout of $75,000. An Edmonds personal injury attorney protects an injured client against these tactics by documenting evidence of the other driver’s liability and defending their client’s best interests so they recover the maximum compensation available to them.
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Washington Help?
By hiring a Washington car accident attorney, you’ll have protection against the common tactics insurance companies use to lower compensation. Contact the experienced trial lawyers at Wells Trumbull to defend your best interests in your claim for compensation after a car accident.